ORIGIN

Jet-Age Survivor: 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire

This 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible is described as an unrestored 56k-mile survivor in excellent condition that was owned by a single family until the late 1990s when it was acquired by a dealership. The white/red color scheme is said to have been used on only eight ’61 Starfires out of the 7,600 built. We like the color combination, the originality and the Jet-Age styling. Find it here at Fiore Motor Classics in Plainview, New York for $35,500.

Available only as a convertible for ’61, the Starfire was Olds’ entry into the personal luxury market dominated by Ford’s 4-seat Thunderbird. It offered similar features, such as bucket seats, but in a full-size package. This car was repainted in the 1980s in its original Provincial White color and the paint, chrome and trim are all said to be in excellent condition. Then top and top boot reportedly are original and look new. The bold aluminum side trim was a Starfire hallmark.

The original Garnet Red interior shows some patina but no cracks or tears in the leather seats. The oval instrument bezels and deep-dish steering wheel are typical Olds features, while the console not found in other models sports a tachometer and window controls in addition to the shifter for the automatic transmission. The interior appears to be in great condition throughout, including the chrome-accented integral floor mats. This car has power steering, brakes, windows, seats, antenna and top. Everything on the car is reported to work perfectly and its ownership history is well documented.

The 394-inch V-8 was rated at 325 horsepower — the most powerful in the ’61 Olds stable — and sported a dress-up kit from the factory. Also from the factory on Starfires: glass-pack mufflers that gave the exhaust note a distinctive tone. The engine is said to start readily and run well. The car reportedly has been driven less than 1,000 miles over the past 12 years.

Though technically not a one-owner car as billed, it’s apparent that most of its use was by the original family owners and that it has been well cared for since new. The ’61s aren’t the rarest Starfire convertibles, but this one looks like one of the finer examples around and is sure to turn heads wherever it’s driven.

35 Comments

I learned to drive on this car,except had a blue leather which I prefer! I t was my mother’s car first and then my older brothers and then I got it.I cleaned it often and polished frequently. It did have glass pack mufflers!

I got to drive our 1961 Oldsmobile 5 times. My parents bought a 67 Olds the day I got my license. I always thought this car had the neatest speedometer I’ve ever seen, even to this day, on a car. I also remember that the Generator light was always on. There was constant electrical problems with the car we had, but I loved this car. Wish I’d gotten to drive it more.

My Dad bought a ’61 “Dynamic 88″ 4-door hardtop brand new and it was white with a red interior. So much for the color combo being available only on the Starfire. A few years later, I bought a gently used ’61 “Dynamic 88″ convertible and that was one of my favorite cars ever. What a sweet ride it was. The 12 mpg didn’t even matter when gas was .60/gallon. Acres of sheet metal everywhere, but compared to other cruisers of the day, it handled very well.

When I was in high school my dad had one just like this, same colors, etc. so I guess it was one of the few. It had a lot of power and did indeed sound great. He traded it in 1967 for a GTO with the HO option and Hurst his/hers auto. These are pretty rare cars so the price is really not that bad at all. Nice leather, great ride.

Able….at the end of the exhaust, at the inside edge of the rear fenders, are what appears to be squarish glass pack mufflers. These are in fact “resonators” (the mufflers are further forward in the exhaust) and they are called resonators in the Olds Shop Manual. I would assume they are variations of a glass pack, although never took one apart.

The original poster is absolutely right that they were put there for sound purposes.

Plainview, New York???? This thing screams “Take me to Miami.” Granted, I’m not a big fan of that city, but looking at these pics makes me want to throw on a Guayabera shirt, grab a cigar, and listen to Latin jazz.

being from lansing and having worked at Oldsin the summers while attending MSU, big Olds were everywhere. If this car is as good as it looks, it is a great but. The aluminum side trim of the starfire’s is almost impossible to repair and not reproed. Just the big side trim in excellent (no dents) condition can easily be 4-5K per side. Again, if this car is this good buy it and enjoy driving it for a long time.

Opie–yes, power wing windows, and the control is on the console! Very cool. Also, interesting lighting items. There is a bright red light attached to the parking brake foot pedal that lights up when you press it, and there is an underhood light also. Of course, really neat period GM pieces, like the glass bottle under the hood to refill your windshield washer fluid.

Amazing to see one in this shape, especially the aluminum side trim. I passed on a 2 owner 62 Starfire Coupe back in the lates 80’s. That one was fully sorted out, the Slim-Jim transmission rebuilt. Ran and drove like new. Just needed a few trim pieces. Tried to play hard ball with the seller and missed the car over $250.00….he sold it for $3500.00! I still kick myself over that deal.

When G.M. could seemingly do no wrong…..this is a gorgeous car. I love the color and always favored the rear of these Starfires – the round taillights contrasting with all the sharp body angles back there I guess. Bought from a dealer in the late ’90’s….what happened in the ensuing 10 – 15 years? It’s all the money, but…..

Mine is a 1964 and a hardtop…not quite as sporty as the earliest models, but awesome just the same.

A few notes…

The floor mats are actually part of the carpet. Mine are still there and in gorgeous shape, I cover them with transparent floormats to reduce wear.

Yes, the 394 is Olds’ “Ultra High Compression” engine. However, mine runs fine with pump premium, 104 octane boost and a splash of lead substitute.

Mine is loaded with options that were available on this car. Vacuum tank for the remote trunk release. Power seats. All Starfires had full leather. Tach on the console, although mine is a different design. Speed alarm, turn signal side marker illumination, power antenna, power windows, power wing windows, remote radio channel changer, and on and on.

The cars ride like a mellow big car until you put your foot in it and it wakes up and moves!

These are awesome cars, and the later coupes are extremely affordable.

My dad used to terrorize the used car salesmen when I grew up. He would take my older brother and I out to test drive all of the GM convertibles available in our community and bought his fair share too. The thing I remember about the Oldsmobiles were the odd speedometers. The speed indicator was a strip that would stretch from 0 to the current speed and change colors from green to yellow to red (I think those were the colors) at prescribed intervals, say 30 mph and 50 mph. Very gimmicky but cool to an 11 year old. I’m shocked that the color combo is so rare, my dad owned a ’59 98 ragtop same combo, maybe Starfire was different.., Nicely detailed engine on this rig.

…..It might be too late, but I’d start feeding the leather with some hide food….and I’d get to work detailing the underside, as it doesn’t reflect the condition of the rest of the car……(an original Michigan car)

Love, love, love it!!! Gorgeous and SO wonderfully Sixties. Of all the GM biggies, the Olds models always stood out as the most tastefully adventurous ones. Not silly frippery, just neat period touches that, combined, worked beautifully. I remember the Starfires very fondly — real head-turners. This particular one would have stopped us in our pre-teen tracks. It’s a genuine, no-apoloogies American car. Just as the CTS is today. Here’s to the lucky buyer — enjoy!!

I don’t think the overall design comes together all that well. it’s a bit too busy for me. However, the individual details are pretty exquisite. The complex rear-end treatment is amazing. The color combo is also great. The front end is somewhat bland, and I never appreciated taking an essentially slab-sided profile and slapping on some chrome spears and calling that ‘detail.’

The interior is not only enormous; but the detail is beautiful. The aluminum-look console (with beautiful autobox lever) and instrumentation are fantastic. And the real leather seats and metal-and-carpet trim also stand out.